Houston News

Abuse Victims Scoff John Paul Sainthood

John Paul II is on the fast-track to sainthood, but not everyone agrees with Pope Francis' decision.

“What we would like to see is the Catholic Church actually discipline those who have been shown to have done nothing to protect kids, and in fact, maybe did protect and enable those who did harm kids,” says Amy Smith with the Space City chapter of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.

Smith likens John Paul's sainthood to rubbing salt in the wounds of victims.

“It certainly does indeed, even still in 2013 there's so much new information coming in about the reported cover up,” she tells KTRH News.

Dr. Lynn Mitchell, who heads religious studies at the University of Houston, disagrees.

“He was not a perfect human being, but you don't have to be a perfect human being to be a saint,” says Mitchell.

The University of St. Thomas' Lawrence DiPaolo says there's more to becoming a saint than one's actions while at the Vatican.

“Sainthood is not a referendum on, in the case of John Paul II, your life as the pope,” says Dr. DiPaolo. “You look at his entire life and entire literary production and more importantly, the miracles attributed to him.”

Meanwhile, Pope Francis also waived Vatican rules so Pope John XXIII can become saint without a second confirmed miracle.